Nut-lock.



W. O. MILLIKIN.

NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION F ILED FEB. 14, I913.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

uniann ESTATES WINFIELD 0. MILLIKIN, or DETROIT,1VIICHIGA1\T.

'NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filediebruary 14, 1913. Serial No. 748,328.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known :that 1, WINFIELD Q. MILLI- I-rga citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have in vented certain newand useful {Improvements in Nut-Locks, of which the-following is specification reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates toimprovements in nut locks and more particularly to 5a nut locking washer formed of sheet metal and adapted to preventithenuti from turning by the engagement of portions of 213118 washer with the nut and with thesurfacengainst which it is forced in drawingxthe Ebolt to place.

The object of the invention is to provide a very cheap and efiicient washer especially adapted for this purpose which will engage and hold the nut against retrogradeturning at each small fraction of a revolution of the nut in screwing the same to a firm seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement of the lock nut all as hereinafter more fully described reference being had to the accom' panying drawing in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of a bolt with a nut in place thereon held by a locking device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the nut lock detached; and Fig. 4: is an edge elevation of the same.

In the drawing A represents an ordinary bolt having a screwthreaded end to receive the usual hexagonal nut B. A locking washer which is preferably stamped or otherwise formed from sheet metal with an axial opening to receive the bolt A, is adapted to be placed upon the bolt beneath the nut B, between it and the surface of the member through which the bolt extends. The washer is formed with a plurality of slits 11 extend ing tangentially of the washer inward from its outer edge and partiallysevering portions of the metal therefrom to form a plurality of spring fingers 12. To prevent the metal from splitting or tearing under heavy strain at the inner ends of the slots 11, the

. metal is pierced at the end of each'slot so that each slot terminates in a round hole 13. The sharp end of each spring finger 12 is preferably rounded off as at 1 1, so that the fingers when bent upwardly out of the plane of the washer will not present sharp points liable to injure the hands of the operator or catch upon material brought into contact with the Washer. These spring fingers 12 which by being bentrupward out of-the plane of the washer form a series of spring pawls for engaging the faces or sides of the nut, are so arranged relative to said faces thatbut one of the fingers will be in position to engage the face of the nut at one time and the other fingers will lie partially beneath the angles of the nut, one of them in such position :that' a slight further turning of the nut will bring this finger into engagement with one of the faces. In the construction shown, the nut has SIX faces and the fingers -areso arranged that one of the faces will be brought into position to be engaged by oneof the fingers at every eight eenth of a revolution of the nut. may, therefore, be turned up firmly to force the washer into contact with the surface of the member through which the bolt extends and locked in that position. If the nut is formed with a greater or lesser number of faces the spring fingers will be arranged accordingly so that one of the faces will be brought into engagement with a finger whenever the nut is turned a small fraction ofa revolution.

The washer as above described forms the subject matter of an application for a pat ent filed by me in the United States Patent Oflice on Nov. 29, 1912, Serial No. 734:,0el6 and is therefore not claimed in this applica tion 2901' se but only in combination with other features hereinafter described.

In my former application for patent above referred to the locking washer was provided with means for preventing the same from turning upon the bolt and therefore when the nut was engaged by the spring fingers it was held firmly against turning uponthe bolt by the Washer. The construction shown in the accompanying drawing is especially adapted for use upon bolts used to hold members together which are formed of wood, such as railway car frames and like constructions where the bolt will be held against turning by its engagement with the wooden frame. To prevent the washer from turning upon the face of the member against which it is forced by the nut, and thus by the engagement of its spring fingers The nut turning.

with the faces of the nut, prevent the nut from turnin a plurality of spurs 15 are formed thereon by striking portions of the metal laterally from the washer, as by bending the sharp corners which are formed when the slots 11 are out. These spurs extend in a direction opposite to that in which the nut is turned in turning it up on the bolt and as these spurs are struck from the spring metal they will yield and permit the washer the spurs which upon such backward turning will dig into the surface and firmly hold the washer. By forming these spurs upon a washer provided with spring fingers and constructed as described, a very cheap and efficient nut lock for the particular class of work for which it is designed, is secured.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim 1s:

1. As a new artlcle of manufacture, a

spring washer having a central aperture and .1

slots extending along lines that are chords of the circumference, the resultant arms be ing off-set and the adjacent marginal portions of the washer in rear of said arms being pointed with the tips thereof bent oppositely to the off-set arms.

2. The combination with a threaded bolt, of a polygonal nut engaging the bolt, and a substantially circular washer having a central aperture and slots extending along lines that are chords of the circumference, the resultant arms being off-set and the adjacent marginal portions of the washer in rear of said arms being pointed with the tips thereof bent oppositely to the off-set arms for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. -WINFIELD 0.. MILLIKIN.

Witnesses:

LEWIS E. FLANDERS, GENEVIEVE E. MCGRANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

